Caroline defies spina bifida to start 21-day charity cycle

CYCLING from Land’s End to John O’Groats would be an achievement for anyone – but for Caroline Beckett, it will be a quite astounding feat.

The 30-year-old, from Merley, has spina bifida, but is determined to complete the challenge to support a local charity.

Caroline and her best friend Danielle Edgar, 24, are tackling the tough 21-day cycle to raise money for Wimborne-based Leukaemia Educating and Fundraising (Leaf).

Having already climbed Ben Nevis in 2010 with Danielle, who grew up with Caroline but now lives in Norwich, Caroline is clearly not afraid of a challenge.

She said: “I’m not the sort of person to sit still. My husband was in the marathon in Edinburgh and while we were in Scotland he made a joke about this being my next challenge. It kind of spurred on from there.

“I phoned Danielle and she said ‘let’s do it’.”

The pair will begin their challenge on June 14, cycling 60 miles a day. Caroline, who works part-time for Borough of Poole as a support worker for mentally and physically disabled adults and is also training to be a counsellor, is now working with a personal trainer to prepare for the ordeal.

She said: “I have an artificial leg, so I only cycle with one leg. I’ve got an electric trike. Some people say it’s cheating, but I say it gives me the other leg.

“My husband and I are looking into getting a tandem trike.”

The pair, who chose Leaf as Danielle lost a friend to leukaemia at school, are hoping to at least match the £4,000 they raised from the Ben Nevis climb.

Caroline added: “I’m not going to say it will be easy, because it won’t be, I know that. I think a lot of it is mind over matter. I will definitely do it.”

Ipsoregulated

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